The Valentine’s Day Contest this year had two parts. The visual entries were highlighted in the last post; this is about the written entries. Everyone was given the image below, and asked to write a paragraph or so about what Cassie and Pritkin were up to (with a Valentine theme, of course). The responses were fantastic, as I’m sure you’ll agree. The fourteen finalists are listed below the image, in no particular order. The winners will be announced tomorrow. Enjoy!
Author: Annette Nimmo:
“Cassie, get down from there!”
Pritkin glared up at the tiny blonde woman stumbling along the old, narrow rampart. Her arms were rotating like the spokes of windmill, but she didn’t seem all that concerned for the two hundred feet drop to her right. In fact, she was giggling as he made a futile grab for one of her hands.
“Cassie, stop being foolish!” he ordered her. “Come down now.”
Her only response was a half-hiccup, half-laugh. Pritkin cursed under his breath and, not for the first time that night, wished he’d stayed in Vegas. This is all Jonas’ fault, he thought sourly as he watched Cassie teeter another few steps along the rampart. It had been the eccentric old mage’s idea to come to Edinburgh for ‘research purposes’. He’d said there was a chap he knew who might be able to teach Cassie more about her powers. The only evidence of teaching Pritkin had witnessed, however, had been how to down several bottles of whisky.
“Whee!” Cassie squealed, flapping her arms wildly. “I feel like I’m flying!”
“You are,” Pritkin muttered. “Flying drunk.”
She lost her balance again, her back arching as she threatened to plummet over the edge. Heart lurching, Pritkin sprang forward, managing to grab one of her arms just in time. With more force than he intended he yanked her down to the courtyard beside him. Caught off balance she stumbled into him and he had to grab her waist to steady her.
She gave a breathless laugh and raised her eyes to his face. They shone brightly in the darkness, the night making them seem a deeper shade of blue than usual, almost sapphire. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold and the alcohol and her breath fanned lightly across his chin, sending a sudden shiver of awareness through him.
His heart thudded again, but with a different kind of fear. Deep inside that familiar hunger stirred. He was acutely aware of Cassie’s body pressed into his, of how warm and soft she felt, and how enticing her scent was.
It would be too easy to pull her closer, to take what he wanted. He couldn’t. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t safe.
He knew he should push her away, step back, put distance between them. But he couldn’t move.
“Cassie…,” he started to say, voice rough.
“Sshh,” she interrupted him. “Don’t speak.”
He swallowed, closing his eyes as she leaned closer into him. Her breath was warm on his lips now and his blood started to rush. The yearning was unbearable, deep and searing, tearing him apart. Her nails dug into the hard muscles of his arms and the air left his lungs with a juddering sigh. There was no use fighting it; how could he, when there was nothing else he wanted more?
It was at that moment, when he was finally ready to surrender, that he felt her go limp in his arms. His eyes opened as her head crashed onto his shoulder, her weight nearly unbalancing them both. Glancing down he saw that her eyes were closed, her face turned into the crook of his neck. Her lips were parted, a little trail of drool escaping the corner of her mouth. He stared down at her for a long minute, not quite able to believe what he was seeing. But there could be only one conclusion: she was out cold.
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Author: Samantha Williamson
Note: Sam misunderstood the challenge, and therefore presented a story that did not fit the photo. But it was so much fun, I had to include it anyway!
“So how did Dee Sire manage to talk to you into this again?”asked Pritkin as he held up a piece of pink sparkly fabric that looked more like scraps than a dress.
“Well, you know how persuasive the 3 D’s can be,” Cassie replied as she rooted through a box of props, “Besides, they thought it would be good publicity for the new Pythia to be the judge of their ‘Can you date a D?’ challenge for Valentine’s Day.”
“Do really think this is the best way to appear to the public as the new Pythia?” Pritkin looked skeptically at Cassie through the midriff baring hole in what was to be her attire for the event.
Cassie had to laugh at the look of sheer horror on his face. Though he’d never really been a proper English gentleman, Pritkin seemed to have adopted some of their ideas about appropriate clothing for women. His idea of proper attire for her new title as Pythia would involve enough fabric to drown a team of mermaids.
Cassie smirked, “I picked that one out, and it is a lot more modest than what Dee Licious set out for me. I’d be happy to show you her top pick,” Cassie leered.
“I don’t believe that will be necessary Miss Palmer,”Pritkin quipped.
“Gods, are we back to the Miss Palmer thing again?” Cassie grumbled and rolled her eyes and started digging in the prop box again.
“We have training to do today. That is undeniably more important than your debut in a drag show Valentine special in this hellish casino. Pun fully intended.” Pritkin pinched the bridge of his nose as if fighting a headache. “What are you searching for in that box?”
“I’m searching for a pillar,” came Cassie’s muffled voice from where she was bent over into the box. “Maybe we can place your virtue on top of it to keep it safe from all of the Valentine debauchery and save your delicate sensibilities.”
“D-Delicate sensibilities?!” Pritkin sputtered. “Half incubus war mage possessing delicate sensibilities? Place my virtue on a pillar? Have you gone mad woman?” Pritkin’s face was turning an interesting shade of purple.
“Oh, there it is!” Cassie exclaimed suddenly, completely oblivious to Pritkin’s outburst, “I’m glad I found it, geez did they have to put in the very bottom of the box?”
Pritkin recovered enough to see the sparkly tiny shorts Cassie pulled from the box. “What in heaven’s name are those?” he asked.
“Oh, didn’t I tell you?” she smirked, “This is your costume. I told the 3 D’s there was no way I could participate without my bodyguard being present. So they agreed that you could be the curtain boy.”
“I’m going to be the what?” he asked, suddenly wishing he were anywhere else.
“The curtain boy, you know, the one who pulls the curtains back to reveal the contestants one at a time? Seriously, have you never watched a game show?” Cassie asked.
“And I have to wear these?” he said, examining the tiny shorts.
“Yep, that’s your official bodyguard uniform tonight,”she said with a small smile.
“No.” Pritkin stated. “There’s no way you can make me wear these pathetic excuse for jockey shorts.”
“Pritkin, it’s Valentine’s Day, you’re a half incubus war mage who’s battled dragons and dark mages and all kinds of evil crap. I’d think you could handle parading around half naked in some sparkly shorts for one night. Or maybe I was wrong and you’d rather Marco be my guard tonight?” Cassie sneered, eyes glinting with mischief, as she dangled the sequined shorts in front of Pritkin’s face.
Pritkin leaned forward into Cassie and wrapped one arm around her waist. She fitted her body to his and tilted her head back slightly so she could look into his eyes. Her smile widened. “What’s so amusing Miss Palmer?” he gritted out.
Cassie could barely contain her laughter. “You think that costume is bad, this is the one Dee Vine picked out just for you,” Cassie said and pulled a hot pink sequined thong from behind her back that resembled half of a handkerchief held together by dental floss.
“Oh my god, Miss Palmer if you think…”
“Dee Sire you owe me 50 bucks! I told you I could make him turn purple!” Cassie yelled as she stumbled away from Pritkin laughing.
“You didn’t let me finish,” Pritkin whispered behind her. “I was saying, I wouldn’t wear that in front of all these people, but I might wear it for you.”
Cassie couldn’t suppress a full body shiver. But instead of taking the bait she turned and looked him in the eye and said, “Tease! Now go put those tiny shorts on and let’s get this show on the road!”
Pritkin groaned but headed to the dressing room grumbling the whole way about bodyguard duties and how nobody respected half incubus war mages anymore.
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Author: Sophie Edkins:
“What are the chances that Mr Hyde will make an appearence?” I was trying hard not to focus on the lips that so rarely smiled and yet ALWAYS managed to steal my breath when they did. They were so close…so achingly close…
A smile was playing there, and humour danced in Pritkin’s eyes. “Are you comparing me to Dr. Jekyll?” he murmured.
“Maybe.” The answer came out breathy. I didn’t know if it was the result of his breath dancing warm on my skin, or his arm, which was snaked around my waist and pulling me closer into that hard chest of his. Damnit. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the idea of Rosier making an appearence if we toyed too close. Goose bumps rose on my flesh at the thought and I shuddered in the warm night.
“Why’d you ask?” Was he leaning closer?
I didn’t get to answer, because right that second a red bolt of lightening struck the light fixed to the alley wall above my head, showering us in sparks. Pritkin shoved me up against the brick, covering me with his body. the familiar, vibrant green eyes bore into mine, wild with adrenaline.
“Of all the rotten luck,” he muttered, just as a herd of footsteps ran up the narrow gap between the building walls, the owners firing lazer-bright spells in our direction.
Disappointed and silently cursing, i grabbed Pritkin’s hand and shifted.
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Author: Pamela Christiansen
“Do you see this face?” I demanded, scowling up at Pritkin. “This is my ‘I am not happy’ face.” The jerk had the nerve to simply smirk down at me, sending my blood pressure through the roof. “Damnit, Pritkin, this was supposed to be a stealth mission. We go in, we buy the shoes, we go back. But no, you just had to interfere with something that wasn’t any of our business.”
Pritkin ignored most of my rant, wrapping one arm around me as he shot a quick look down the narrow alley to make sure we hadn’t been followed.
“I’ve seen your ‘happy face’ and am well aware that isn’t it,” I was informed. “If you’ll be so kind as to take us home, I’d be more than willing to put that look on your face for several hours.”
My mouth fell open at the blatant offer before snapping shut with a click.
“You’d better,” I threatened before sending us back to our own time.
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Author: Chris Seibers
Note: This was another one that didn’t follow the guidelines (bad author, no cookie!). But like the one above, it was just too good to skip!
Mircea leaned back against the exquisite antique chair he was sitting in as he watched his daughter check herself over in the full length mirror. Her dark hair bobbed as she turned admiring the midnight colored skin tight dress she wore. She tugged at the sleeves and hem managing to cover most of the bruises she had recently acquired.
“There isn’t anything I can say to change your mind about tonight.” It was a statement more than a question Mircea knew how stubborn Dory could be.
“No. “Dory agreed as she put some final touches of makeup on.
“You really should be resting.” Her father complained.”
“I’ll be fine. I’ve been resting for the last week. Everyone has been watching me so closely I haven’t been able to do anything remotely interesting. It’s Valentine’s day and I am going to go out and have a nice dinner with my boyfriend. After what I’ve been through lately I deserve a bit of fun.”
“All right, just try not to destroy anything while you’re out. “ Mircea replied shaking his head in fond exasperation.
“I’ll try.” Dory smiled and leaned in to give Mircea a quick kiss on the cheek before she headed for the door.
Mircea was still staring after her with a bemused expression on his face when a soft sound and a lovely scent heralded the Pithia’s arrival. He looked up at Cassie with a smile but before he could even get a word out felt the slap of her hand across his face.
“How could you!” The blond growled and promptly disappeared.”
Meeting his own confused glance in the mirror he noticed the smudge of lipstick that was quickly being enveloped by a large red handprint.
Touching the surface lightly to heal it he laughed. “Love is complicated.”
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Author: Vikki Lawrence
‘Cassie’ growled Pritkin.
‘Hush now, don’t rush me. I’m too busy relishing this moment,’ She glanced down, ‘besides, you really do have a magnificent butt, give me a moment to admire it.’
‘Cassie…’ he repeated. She looked up from her thorough inspection and met his pained gaze. Pritkin really did have the most beautiful eyes, you could drown it them, and be very happy about it too. His lips moved to say her name again. ‘Cass…’
‘If you growl my name in that oh so menacing way of yours one more time, we won’t do this at all.’
Wrapping a muscled arm around her waist Pritkin pulled Cassie close. ‘You can admire me as much as you want…afterwards. I’ve waited long enough for you tonight as it is.’
‘Being bossy won’t help you either,’ she said as she moved her hand over the firm muscles she had always enjoyed the look of. A man never looked so good in jeans, they just moulded to his body like a second skin.
‘Cassie,’ Pritkin groaned, ‘I can’t take much more.’ His muscles bulged as he gripped her hips hard to keep himself from crying out.
‘You ready?’ At his nod, Cassie draped her body over his. The heat from his body was like a blanket wrapping her tightly. After pausing for a moment to relish the feel of his body against hers, she slid her hand down and curled her hand around the hard shaft.
And yanked.
With a pop, the enchanted arrow came free and Pritkin slumped in relief.
Cassie couldn’t help herself, she started to laugh, and laugh, and laugh. Pritkin glared from underneath his sweat drenched hair, ‘I fail to see how this is funny’.
‘Seriously? You don’t see how you getting shot by a magic arrow on Valentine’s Day is funny? That would have been enough but the fact that the mighty John Pritkin got shot in the ass…’ she dissolved into a fresh round of giggles. ‘I think I’m going to frame this’ she said, holding up the offending arrow.
‘No.’
‘Or put it on Ebay, I’m sure plenty of people will want to know the story…’ Cassie dodged, as Pritkin lunged towards her. ‘Now now, that’s just rude, after all I did just save your ass…ouch’ she dropped the arrow as it abruptly burst into flames. ‘Damn it, that’s not fair.’ She whined.
‘All’s fair in love and war, isn’t that the saying?’Pritkin said smugly.
‘Now no one will ever believe this.’
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Author: Suzanne Bluff
Entry 1
I will not back down, I will not back down Cassie silently chanted as she stared balefully at her current pain -in-the-ass, otherwise known as John Pritkin. To really emphasis her point Cassie put her hands on her hips and continued trying to bore a hole through his stubborn head with her eyes. He just tightened his grip on the back of her t-shirt and returned her gaze with a smirk playing across his lips.
“Give it to me,” Cassie said through gritted teeth.
Pritkin leaned forward his lips an inch away from hers “Make. Me.”
Cassie ignored the brief shudder of…irritation, definitely irritation, as she felt a puff of warm air hit her flushed cheeks along with his smug response.
Without another word Cassie snatched the orange vial from his belt and held it threateningly over the ground. “Give it to me.” She briefly saw his arrogant eyes widen as she clutched the vial tightly in her hand before he quickly grabbed her wrist jerking it from her hands. Eyes wide they both watch it arc across the alley before coming to their senses running in the opposite direction.
This would be a practice session neither of them would ever forget Cassie thought as she watched the head of the lantern shoot across the night sky like a comet.
Entry 2
Milly’s felt old, her bones were creaking reminding her of her long gone mother’s rocking chair, the chair that was her current destination that was positioned by her window. She liked to watch the stars, as she looked at the vastness of the night sky and the diamond bright stars it brought her back a sense of wonder, transforming her into a child and taking away the aches of old age. But rather then star gaze, Milly’s eyes landed earthbound on a young couple arguing on the street outside. She smiled as she watched the young woman’s curly blonde hair bob in frustration as she stood hands on hips glaring at her lover. Her young man glared right back and started gesticulating madly with his hands, as she stood clearly unimpressed by his display. He dragged her closer, plastering her to his front and bent his head closer as her right hand smoothed down his back, was he going to kiss her? She jerked her head to the window squinting at the young lovers, her nose almost to the glass. BOOM!
Milly jumped and saw a plume of smoke rising to the stars. She glanced back to the young lovers thinking to warn them, but they were gone.
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Author: Mandy Justice
“Cassie…” Priktin whispered through gritted teeth as the little blonde pushed herself up against him.
“Pritkin…” She mocked as she tugged on his hand to place it on her lower back while her own free one rested on her hip. “I told you I could help so let me help.”
“If this backfires it could be very bad.” He responded stiffly as his body tensed in reaction to hers leaning into him.
“But you won’t tell me how, you won’t even tell me what this thing is. Look you said it’s attracted to couples on Valentine’s Day so isn’t this the best way to get it?” She smirked up at him and his lips pursed tighter together. “You could look a little more enthusiastic.” She jutted out her breasts to press them up against his own chest.
“Cassie-mmph!” He sucked in a breathe as a small hand made its way to his rear and squeezed his cheeks.
“You know these jeans just don’t do justice for that.” A mischievous smile played on her face and he felt his jaw clenching.
“I think you’re enjoying this too much.” He clipped.
“Isn’t that the point?” She moved in closer, he didn’t think that was possible, and tilted her head up so their lips were inches apart and he could feel her breathe hot on his face. The temperature made a substantial leap as both of their bodies heated up and flushed their skin. Blue light suddenly flashed beside them as Pritkin’s shield’s reacted to the attack. Cassie blinked in surprise as the object that shot towards them vanished in a burst of red mist.
“Was that-?” The war mage jerked his hand out and a net flew out at lightning speed. It was also accompanied by actual lightning that shot out in tendrils of electric fingers. They closed down on the little creature and Pritkin clenched his fingers as the net shrunk down and pulled the thing towards him. Cassie gaped in astonishment as the chubby little toddler with freaking wings stared up at Pritkin with a pout on its face.
“Cupid!”She exclaimed as the mage raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you frigging-Seriously?”
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Author: Arushi Pareek
Pritkin: I look at her, and I know I am stuck. Not the good kind of stuck. Maybe not the bad kind of stuck. But stuck. It’s not the looks, though she will throw a hissy fit if she hears me say this, I have seen women who were much more beautiful, but there is something about her, that makes me feel, human. I’m not. As it turns out, neither is she, not really but… well, she sees me. And for that, just for that, I am well and truly stuck.
Cassie: Is he gonna kiss me? Is he not gonna kiss me? What is he THINKING?!!
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Author: Stacy Feldman
“Or you’ll what?” Cassie said. “You promised me a night out on the town; a tour of London. It’s Valentine’s Day for crying out loud! If you’re going to pass 42°Raw off as dinner….then you owe me dessert.”
She moved toward him with a seductive sway in her step. Everything about her pose issued a direct challenge to emphasize her words. From the gleam in her unflinching gaze, the set of her lips and jut of her jaw, through the full line of her body now pressed tightly against his. He already told her no. He’d be damned if he backed down now, but then again, he already was. She put a hand on her hip as she leaned further into him, pushing against all his carefully constructed boundaries, figuratively and otherwise.
He took an unsteady breath trying to ignore her hip digging into his thigh and repeated his statement, “Back up before something happens that we’ll both regret.” The tension between them was so thick it nearly rolled in waves. His fingers knotted into her T-Shirt at the small of her back, holding her tightly against him, though he fought with himself to push her away.
She leaned fully against him now with her arms wrapped around his shoulders, fingers combing through the short hairs at the back of his neck. She cocked her head to the side, “I don’t know that I’d regret it Pritkin,” she whispered hotly against his lips.
“Then I’ll regret it enough for the both of us,” he stated through clenched teeth as she slowly chipped away at his defenses. God how this woman provoked him!
Her hands smoothed down his shoulders, sliding down his sides around his waist to his back where her fingers traced the waistband of his worn jeans. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply and leaned his head forward to rest against hers, “Cassie….” He whispered—and she was gone.
His head popped up and he cursed under his breath as he saw her some 20 yards away rifling for quids in his wallet after picking it from his back pocket as she shifted.
“There!” she cried triumphantly, holding up a £10 note. “Dessert is on you tonight!”
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Author: Kim C.
I crouched in a shadow made by the flickering light of the overhead lantern, cradled my bruised ribs, and tried to catch my breath. For a 60 year old bishop he had put up a good fight; maybe next time he would just let me read the damn book. My breath caught as I heard footsteps quickly advancing down the alleyway. I straightened up and got ready to shift, wincing as my most-likely-broken tailbone protested the movement. I squinted into the darkness, not believing my eyes as the menacing figure advancing toward me resolved into the familiar form of a very pissed off war mage. How had Pritkin gotten here?
“Cassie! Are you intentionally trying to give me a heart attack?” Pritkin snarled, a muscle in his jaw twitching in irritation as he moved into my personal space and roughly grabbed my arms. His piercing green eyes roved over my body, quickly assessing me for any visible injuries, while his hands deftly patted me down, checking for broken bones. I winced slightly as his hands slid over my bruised ribs and he snorted.
“I leave you alone for thirty seconds and you find trouble, why am I not surprised?” When he had assured himself that I wasn’t in imminent danger of death, his expression softened slightly and his lips quirked into a provocative smile. The hands that had been dispassionately probing my ribs fanned up to brush the undersides of my breasts. He closed the distance between us and, before I could protest, his lips were on mine roughly demanding and tasting bitterly of coffee. My heart sped up as my hand involuntarily rose to grab a handful of his stupid hair and pull him closer to me. A wave of heat rushed from his bare skin to mine, leaving me flushed and wanting; I made an inarticulate sound of need and he responded by pulling me even closer. I clung to the hard planes of his broad shoulders as his other hand moved down my body to tighten on my ass… and a hot spike of pain seared through me as his fingers ground into my abused tailbone.
I sucked in a breath and jerked back in pain and surprise. Pritkin’s eyes had started to bleed black and his breathing was erratic; an expression of frustrated need was plain in his green eyes. The pain had brought me to my senses and lust was quickly being replaced by confusion and anger. I put my hands on my hips and looked up at him challengingly.
“What the hell are you doing? And how did you even get here?” Pritkin was capable of many things, but I was pretty sure time travel wasn’t part of his repertoire. I briefly considered the idea that the man standing before me might actually be Rosier, but quickly dismissed it. I knew, instinctively, that this was Pritkin; not to mention that Rosier wouldn’t be caught dead in that outfit.
“You brought me here yourself not ten minutes ago.” Pritkin’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What are you wearing? Where is your cloak?” Before I could answer, we both turned as loud footsteps announced the arrival of a cloaked figure.
“Pritkin, where the hell have you been?” The voice coming from within the cloak sounded eerily familiar, and Pritkin’s face paled when he heard it. His eyes went from mine to the stranger’s and he jumped back from me as if burned
“Don’t mention anything about this next time you see me!” Pritkin cryptically warned his eyes deadly serious, before running down the alleyway to join the cloaked stranger. I was just about to call after him and demand an explanation when I remembered that I was the only one who ever called him Pritkin.
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Author: Cecy Castaño
(This entry is in Spanish and English, the English version follows)
Sus labios se posaron sobre los míos, a pocos centímetros, haciendo cualquier pensamiento en mi cabeza incoherente y totalmente invalido. De pronto, lo único que importaba era su cuerpo, caliente y suave, tan cerca de mí que era imposible decir donde terminaba el suyo y empezaba el mío. Sus manos se deslizaron por mis hombros hasta detrás de mi cuello. Se detuvieron allí y tiró de mi cabeza. Mis ojos se encontraron con los de ella y supe que no había vuelta atrás. La besé con desesperación, con hambre, con ansia, con deseo. La empujé contra la pared y la alcé de forma que tuvo que envolver sus piernas a mi alrededor. Me apreté contra ella y sus uñas se clavaron en mi piel. Bajé los labios trazando un camino por su cuello hasta llegar al borde de su top, donde la piel clara y sugerente de sus pechos parecía llamarme a gritos. Me detuve allí, saboreando cada centímetro lentamente. Gimió mi nombre en un susurro y apretujó mi cabello mal cortado en sus pequeñas manos. Deslicé mis manos por su espalda casi desnuda hasta llegar al borde de su pantalón, donde me detuve dubitativo.
-Si paras ahora, te mato –gritó. Reí y seguí.
Sus manos dejaron la inactividad y comenzaron a sacarme la polera, ignorando todas las armas mortales que podrían explotar. La ayudé más eficientemente y dejé todo en el suelo, a nuestro lado. Envolví su rostro entre mis manos, las ondas rubias de su cabello sobresaliendo de entre mis dedos en una aureola casi fantasmal. Ella sonrió, provocativamente, me acerqué deliberadamente lento y…
Un almohadazo en la cara me sacó de la ensoñación.
–Pritkin a Tierra, ¿estás ahí? –preguntó Cassie. Me limité a mirarla. Otra vez, soñando despierto.
–¿En serio es tan difícil pensar en algún regalo que quisieras que te dé por San Valentín? –preguntó–. No sé, algo especial… ¿Un pastel de tofu?
Podría haber dicho lo que pensaba, que mi regalo perfecto de San Valentín estaba sentado frente a mí con una cara bastante enfadada, por cierto, pero en vez de eso, me limité a responder:
–Un pastel de Tofu suena bien.
* * *
Her lips danced over mine, a few inches away, making any thought in my head incoherent and pretty damned confusing. Suddenly, all that mattered was her body, soft and warm, so close to me that it was impossible to say were hers ended and mine started. Her hands slid down my shoulders to the back of my neck and stopped there while she pulled my head up. Our eyes met and I knew it, there was no going back now. I kissed her, desperately, hungry, just like I knew she wanted. I pushed her against the wall and lift her so she had to embrace me with her legs. I pressed against her and her nails pierced my skin. I kissed down her neck until the beginning of her thin t-shirt where the clear and evocative skin of her breasts seemed to sing to me. I stopped there, tasting every single inch of her. She moaned my name in a whisper and squeezed my badly cut hair with her little hands. I slid my hands down her back and stopped when I reached the border of her old jeans.
“You stop now, I kill you” she grunted. I laughed, and then I continued my way.
Her hands, quiet until that moment, came back to life and started to take off my shirt, ignoring the many mortal weapons that could explode at any moment. I efficiently helped her, letting everything next to us. I held her face in my hands, her curly blonde hair coming out from the spaces between my fingers in some kind of ghostly aura. She smiled, provocatively, I pulled nearer, deliberately slow and…
A pillow in my head got me out of the day-dream.
“Earth to Pritkin, are you there?” Cassie asked. I merely looked at her. I’ve been day-dreaming, again.
“Is it really so hard to think of one single thing I could give you for Valentine’s Day?” She asked, “I don’t know, some special stuff… a tofu pie?”
I could have said what I was thinking, what I really wanted: that my perfect Valentine’s gift was sitting in front of me with a very angry face. But instead, I ended up saying nothing alike.
“A tofu pie sounds good.”
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Author: Georgia Skoupa
“Typical!” I said as I rammed my head towards Pritkin’s chest. “It’s Valentine’s Day and instead of doing something romantic, I’m stuck with Pythia-duty!”
He gently pushed me a few inches away. As I looked at him he bore an expression of amusement and exasperation. I tilted my head back and looked at the sky. It was a cold February night with no moon but plenty of stars. It could have been beautiful, but for the fact that I wasn’t dressed for the occasion, that whatever it was inside those street lamps stunk and not to mention how the walls around as smelled.
I sighed and pulled myself together. Just then Pritkin whispered to my ear: “Shall we dance?” Before I could even register the meaning of this, I was moving. I could hear music, a rhythm that invited me to sway and twirl and shake. The air around me went from ice cold to refreshing cold. I could feel the warmth emanating from the street lamps, the smell of old wood and stone. “This is ridiculous!” a part of me said. “It is a dream!” But it wasn’t. I could hear the crunching noise the soles of our shoes made on the cobbled-street. I could hear our breaths and our hearts pumping. Suddenly I realized that it wasn’t a dream, it was magic. I looked at Pritkin and was surprised to see the green in his eyes through the shadows of the night. Then I let myself go. He led and I danced along. Had it been anyone else I would have probably embarrassed myself. He did an odd twirl and as I looked straight into his eyes once more we shifted.
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Author: Jon Ortmann
Reaching across his chest Pritkin pulled an inky black vile from his potions belt.
“Cassie, I wouldn’t ask you to do this if we had any other options”.
Cassie drug her eyes away from the clear, crisp green gaze of Pritkin’s to the vile he held in his hand. As she reached out to take the concoction, their fingers brushed together and a zing flew up her arm. She took an immediate step back. Reading the label and raising a quizzical brow she asked, “L: potion 9? What exactly will this do?” Raising the vile and lifting it to her nose, Cassie took a quick whiff. “Ugh! This stuff smells like turpentine! You want me to drink this? Think again.”
With an expression that looked to be bordering on pain, Pritkin said, “Trust me. Drink it. Eventually its side affects will wear off, but in the meantime it will keep you safe.”
“Safe? From that chubby little angel chasing me with the bows? How?”
“Please will you stop asking questions and just drink it.”
Stepping toe to toe with him she said, “Not until you give me straight answers. What will this potion do to me?”
Looking away from her, Pritkin mumbled incoherent words under his breath.
“Excuse me? Louder please and try to annunciate.”
Turning back to her, Pritkin pinned her with his gaze, wrapped an arm across her lower back and pulled her close to him. Through gritted teeth he said, “This potion will allow you to fall head-over-heels for its creator, so for a time you will be immune to those nasty little arrows Cupid keeps sending your direction. That way if he gets a lucky shot off and hits you, he won’t be able to control the Pythia and her heartstrings for his own personal gain. He is a devious little creature that wrecks havoc on unsuspecting victims. Trust me; you don’t want to be part of his schemes.”
Cassie, taking advantage of their closeness, leaned further in against his chest and asks, “Are you the maker of this potion?”
“I am.”
“And what if I’m already head-over-heels for someone? Won’t I be immune to Cupid’s arrows if my heart is already taken?”
“Technically, yes. However, if you are the least unsure then his arrows will trump your . . .”
Tuning out Pritkin’s warning, Cassie looked down at the vile she still held in her hand. After a moment she said softly, “I don’t need this.” At the same time she let the vile slide from her fingers to hit the cobblestones with a crack and small splash.
Pritkin looking torn stared at her in disbelief.
“Is the thought of loving me for a short while to much to ask for your safety? Cassie, the potion would have worked. The affects would have worn off.”
Looking him straight in the eyes, a small smile on her face Cassie replied, “Who said I needed a potion for that?”
A big thank you to everyone who participated!